U.S. Men Beat Puerto Rico in NORCECA Tuneup

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Oct. 11, 2009) - The U.S Men's National Volleyball Team warmed up for the 2009 NORCECA Continental Championship with two exhibition victories over Puerto Rico on Friday and Saturday in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

On Friday, Team USA served up a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23) victory, led by Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) with 25 points, including a match-high 10 aces and 15 kills. The U.S. Men finished with 14 aces in the match.

"The conditions were hot causing lots of slipping and floor wipe stops," said U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) via e-mail.

Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) scored 20 points on 17 kills, two blocks and one ace. David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added 10 points on four kills, a match-high four blocks and two aces. Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) scored 10 points on nine kills and one block. Ryan Millar (Palmdale, Calif.) scored 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and one ace.

Saturday's match went to five sets, but the U.S. Men won again, 21-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 15-12.

Patak again led the U.S. Men in scoring with 18 points on a match-high 15 kills, one block and two aces. Nils Nielsen (Fallbrook, Calif.), who is playing for a professional team in Puerto Rico, chipped in to help the U.S. Men and finished with 13 points on 13 kills. Salmon scored 12 points on eight kills, two blocks and two aces. Lotman added 12 points on 11 kills and one ace.

Soto led Puerto Rico with 18 points on 14 kills and four blocks. Victor Bird added 13 points on 10 kills and three aces.

Puerto Rico out-blocked the United States 13-10. The United States had nine aces while Puerto Rico had eight.

The U.S. Men completed 56 of 114 kill attempts (49 percent) with nine errors. Patak completed 15 of 22 attempts (68 percent) with one error. Nielsen completed 13 of 23 attempts (57 percent) with two errors.

Among other U.S. scorers, Hein had seven points on six kills and one block. Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.) added six points on two kills, two blocks and two aces. Millar totaled two points on one kill and one block. Winder tallied two points on two blocks. Lambourne, who played as a serving substitute, scored two points on two aces.

Knipe started outside hitters Lotman, Nielsen and Salmon, middle blockers Hein and Hoff, Winder at setter and Reft at libero.